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As Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Eddie Howe and his players, local fans were concerned about a tough match. However such fears vanished thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's coach would not cause pain for Newcastle.

Game Flow and Initial Exchanges

The Benfica boss had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players displayed their similar combative approach. Benfica certainly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' initial efforts to establish a fluent passing tempo.

Compounding Newcastle's challenges, key midfielders, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started as substitutes as they continued recovering from illness and a knock respectively.

Prior to kick-off, the coaches exchanged a brief, cool embrace, and it soon became clear that Mourinho had instructed his side to subdue the home fans by slowing Newcastle and reducing the temperature at every chance.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy yielded varied results, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to break through Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first found it hard to create clear opportunities.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgian attacker Lukebakio almost showed scoring skill when, after beating the defender on the ground, he tested Nick Pope with a tremendous shot that got an terrific single-hand save. No wonder Pope still hopes for an England return in time for the World Cup.

Yet when Lukebakio hit a further shot against the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Murphy shot off target, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range save from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the deadlock.

Gordon's scorching speed had created problems for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after his teammate's quick cross into the box paid off.

On the occasion Newcastle's hard, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was there to deliver a ground cross across the goal for Gordon to finish.

Later Stages and Decisive Substitutions

From the beginning, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their players attacked with real freedom. The winger consistently showed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the home team were likely grateful to reset at half-time.

The opening period ended with the keeper once more rescuing his team by diverting the attacker's shot wide of the post, and as the teams came out for the second half, everything seemed evenly poised.

While Anthony Gordon, evidently boosted by scoring his fourth strike in three Champions League appearances this season, played with the zeal of a winger set to alter the balance in his team's direction, the Benfica attacker had different plans.

The manager's No 11 had previously emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a natural full-back, and Newcastle fans were nervous every time he advanced.

Howe might have relaxed had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a set-piece over the bar from a well-placed position. Rather, this absorbing game continued to swing from one goal to the other, persuading the coach to introduce Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, threw on an additional striker in Franjo Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a risk that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Match

Until then, the away team, and especially their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing Newcastle's German centre-forward deep. But now, with defender Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the path was clear for Barnes to show that Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a wonderful long throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, the winger was away, accelerating into the area before keeping impressive composure to lash a superb strike past the keeper.

When Harvey Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's excellent pass, it was all over. Mourinho had warned that the Magpies have four very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from two wingers had shattered his chances of securing Benfica's first European points of the season.